MAT-E LESSON TEMPLATE

Lesson Overview
Title:

Biographies Unit Day 4 3/19

Author:

Karleigh Marceron

Subject:

Reading and Writing

Grade Level(s):

4th

Duration:

1 hour and 30 minutes

Subject Area(s):

Biographies

State Standards

RI.4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when

explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing
inferences from the text
W.4.2.a: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a
topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
SL.5: Add audio recordings and visual displays to
presentations when appropriate to enhance the
development of main ideas

Goals/Objectives:
Unit Goals (enduring
understandings)
Lesson Goals:

Students will understand how to use information from a

text to clearly organize information into an informational
writing piece.
I can use details from the text to determine a persons
character traits.
I can use technology to display text evidence of character
traits.
I can use character traits to write my introductory
paragraph.

Methods/Procedure:
Anticipatory Set:

CAST 2006

1. Ask students What are some examples of

character traits?

Adapted from http://lessonbuilder.cast.org

Introduce and Model New

Knowledge:

I DO

2. I will give students a copied passage from Jackie

Robinson and ask them to read the page.
3. While reading students will determine a character trait
based on the passage they read, they will be asked to
underline details that support that character trait
4. I will have 3 students share, looking for three different
character traits.
5. I will explain that each character that we are reading
about shows more than one character trait.

Provide Guided Practice:

WE DO

6. I will model how to write down the character trait onto

a note card and provide evidence from the text.
7.Once we have chosen a character trait and have evidence
to support that idea, I will model how we are going to use
the Doceri App
8. I will explain to students that everyone is going to look
back on what we have read so far to determine a character
trait for your specific person
*Students working in groups can work together to come
up with character traits. But each student should have his
or her own character trait.
9. I will model how take a picture using the doceri app and
embedded it into the document.
10. Then I will explain that students should write the
character trait below their image.
11. I will then explain that each student will record
themselves explaining the character traits and the text
evidence that supports their trait.
12. I will model how to make a new page for each group
member.
13. Students will then be sent to their groups to determine
a character trait for their character

CAST 2006

Adapted from http://lessonbuilder.cast.org

*Students will record the character trait, page number, and

text evidence on an index card prior to working on Doceri
App
14. At this point I will tell the student that they have 10
minutes to determine a character trait and write it onto the
note card with text evidence.
*After the 10 minutes each student should have the card
finished
15. I will then explain that we are going to start using the
doceri app. I will monitor this by having 1 person in each
group recording at the same time. All other students will
be quietly watching their partner waiting for their turn.
16. Then the second student will go, the third student will
go, the fourth and fifth student will go.

17. Students will then be asked to come to the carpet, if

there is time we will have time to share a couple of
students character traits, if not we will start off Fridays
lesson with sharing their mini projects.
18. Now I want you to think about a character trait your
biography person portrays (Allow thinking time).
*Turn to your neighbor and tell them who you are
researching and what character trait they portray
19. I will then explain that a great way to start off your
biography is with a hook
*What is a hook?
20. A hook is very important to get your reader interested
into your paper, I will now model how I wrote my hook
using a character trait about Jackie Robinson
21. I will then model how to continue writing my
introductory paragraph.

CAST 2006

Adapted from http://lessonbuilder.cast.org

Provide Independent Practice:

YOU DO

22. I will explain that for the rest of the time until lunch
we are going to be writing out introductory paragraphs,
make sure to use evidence from the text to support your
character trait
*You can also use your character traits envelopes!
23. Students will work independently to start their first
paragraph of their biographies.

Assessment:
Formative/Ongoing Assessment:
Summative/End Of Lesson
Assessment:

Doceri Project and Introductory Paragraph

Final Biography

Materials (including technology, texts, manipulatives, audio-visual):

-Time for Kids biographies (Differentiated through reading levels)
-Ipads
-Note cards
-Students biographies
-Manila Folder organizers
-Chart Paper
-Document Camera
Reflection (include discussion on time management, engagement, assessment, data
outcomes):
Overall, this lesson was not as successful as the previous days. Students were asked to work in
groups and read the next chapter of their group biographies. After they read they would be asked
to identify a character trait that describes the person they are reading about and then find specific
text evidence that supports the character trait they chose. Students were then to take that
information and make a Doceri presentation. The presentation included taking a picture of the
text, highlighting the evidence, and then recording their voice onto the presentation explaining
the character trait they chose and why. The students were very engaged in the lesson due to
incorporating technology, but it took much longer than expected. The whole reading and
presentation making took the entire hour and 30 minute time period. THe lesson was then going
CAST 2006

Adapted from http://lessonbuilder.cast.org

to lead into identifying a character trait to use and write the introductory paragraph of their
biographies. Luckily, I was able to just push the final part of this lesson into the next days plans.
The students really loved this activity and really enjoyed making their projects as well as sharing
their projects to the class.

CAST 2006

Adapted from http://lessonbuilder.cast.org